Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-04-23
THE NEW CRAZE.
Some Interesting and Valuable Sug-
gestions for tho Amateur Clay
Modeler.


tors art. But this is 4 mistaken notion.
The best teachers recommend model
inc. especially in bas-rellef. Is an i'm
pOrtant aid in the development of the
faculty Of draw NJ. Bus rel eff S the
simplest form OF modeling. rs drawing
is the prim .ry step in the painters
art 1t will also be found of inyalu-
able assistance in woOd-engravinc,
wood-carving. and kindred arts. And
the employment IS withal go fascinat-
ing and productive of such pleas ne re-
suits at Il small outlay of money and
labor that the amateur will find in it
alone an ample compensation. leav NJ
out the possibility of the knowledge
gained being turned to account in other
work.
The clay is easily procured at any
potter's, and should be finely ground
and free from hard Jumps. To ascer-
tain whether this be the case it NAV be
cut through aud through with 4 wire
(modelers usually have wire fitted
with handles for the purposcl 1t
should then be thoroughly beaten and
worked until it shall have become
tough and somewhat elastic and shall
have lost that property denominated rs
.'short. y The tools used need not be
many or costly, although the 'setS"
that are offered for the purpose are ap-
palling in number and perplexing to
the BEG nner. Two or three simple
wooden or bone blades and few scrap
ers with saw shaped edges are quite
enough. but the fingers. together with
tools shaped with a convenient jack
knife, will be used mare than auy
other implement The shapes Of the
tools required will suggest themselves
during the progress OF the work.
A large slate or marble slab is q good
thing to work on. although a board
may be utilized for the purpose if
the slate or marble be not ut hand A
plaster cast of an animals head ia 4
good first study, and will not be too
Il tficult If the worker has had any
practice in drawing. Spread the clay
to the requisite til ckness on the slab.
pressing it firmly so that there will be
no bubbles in it, and take care that i
be perfectly level and of uniform thick
ness. Then with the fingers fora the
object, measuring sh- .-@;".. -.si
cUiupasses ana scraplng the clay away
to imilae the contour, Ines. and hol-
lows of the or ginal. In this part of
the work the eve must be rel ed on.
but t is very easily accompl shed. pro-
vided there he not too much haste. and
the clay be scraped away very gradual.
". The eyes, ears, nose. etc, are
then formed in the same way, using
such shaped tools as seem suitable.
After the outline shall have been tinish-
Ell the details NAV be worked up. using
tool with 4 serrated edge for simu-
lating the hair, just rs the rasp is used
in wOod-carying. Smooth-haired ami
mails. such as the squirrel. cat or rab-
bit, are easier to represent than those
which have long. shaggy hair. which
requires deep scraping to form the
mass. The ground may be indented as
in wood-earving. using similar tools.
The work must of course. dry slowly
to prevent cracking. and il may be
advisable to cover it with damp cloth
to prevent too rapid drying. 1t may
then be baked. if desired. and will be
practically indestructible.
After some practice on work of this
kind. in higher or lower rel eff. the
pupil NAV undertake foliage. although
it is not essential to the study of mod
cling figures, and is really a very
| d fiicult branch of art-much more
difficult than the lower forms OF animal
/ life. Copy from cast or carved leaves
at first gradually proceeding to draw
ings. Beware of making the leaves too
thin There is, TO me. an incongruity
in corying any thing that can not be
copied as nearly as possible. and with
clay it is impossible to simulate the
thinness and transparency of hJwers
and foliage. so would recommend go
| ing ut once frDu, the stRdy of animal to
human life. Begin in this branch with
.he hand or foot. Proceed deliberately.
and measure accurately with rule and
compass. The main point is to copy
/ faithfully. When q half dozen or so
hands and feet have been copied the
pupil may ;rv bust in relief. This is
easier than model ng in the round. 4:
only half Of the figure st most is pre-
sented. and models in plaster or metals
are easily reproduced. The work must
be kept wet until finished, which is &C,
compished by keeping it swathed IN
cloths sIrinkled IS occasion may re-
quire.
Some artists recommended building
up the relief bit By it. but from exper
ience have found il more difficult thar
the scraping away process just describ
ed. z ther method Is good. and. a.!
/ though simple in itself. has important
uses in the study of art aside from it;
own artistic merit. II one set out to b
q sculptor the only effectual method o
achieving a command of the art is Il
begin working on the round, leaving